Overview & Reviews

Chevrolet sells an impressively wide range of vehicles, from subcompact hatchbacks to huge vans and SUVs. If you're looking for a reasonably priced vehicle, odds are that Chevy will have something to fit your needs.

Chevrolet got its start in 1911. After William C. Durant had been ousted from General Motors, he joined forces with Swiss-born racecar driver Louis Chevrolet to found the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. The company's first offering was the Classic Six. Introduced in 1912, this five-passenger touring sedan could top 65 mph, fast for the time. Chevrolet's storied bowtie logo -- reportedly inspired by the wallpaper of a Paris hotel room that Durant stayed at -- made its first appearance in 1914.

By 1918, Chevrolet's profitability allowed Durant to purchase enough shares in GM to regain control. Chevrolet became another division of GM, and was its largest volume division by the mid-1920s. By 1927, Chevrolet outsold rival Ford, with sales in excess of 1 million units.

In the mid-1930s Chevrolet introduced independent front suspension, which provided a smoother ride over the rough roads of the day. The 1940s saw continued success with affordable coupes, sedans and pickup trucks catering to American families, farmers and businessmen.

By the mid-1950s, Chevrolet, GM's entry-level division, had added a V8 engine, power steering and brakes, power windows and air-conditioning to its list of available features, allowing luxury for those on a tighter budget. Around this time the iconic Bel Air model -- available in coupe, sedan, convertible and wagon body styles -- proved very popular. The company introduced its alluring Corvette in 1953; the vehicle was the first mass-produced car with a fiberglass body.

The 1960s saw the unveiling of the popular, air-cooled Corvair compact, which held the distinction of being the first domestic production car with all-around independent suspension. That decade also witnessed the launch of the compact Nova, the midsize Chevelle and the sporty Camaro, the latter Chevrolet's answer to the wildly successful Ford Mustang. The Camaro proved an instant hit, comprising 10 percent of Chevrolet's total sales in 1967, its first year of production.

In the 1970s, Chevy responded to changing preferences by introducing small cars like the Vega and the Chevette, and by downsizing larger models such as the Caprice and Malibu. The company combated the market domination of foreign nameplates in the 1980s by rolling out the Cavalier. By the end of that decade, trucks and SUVs had started to become increasingly popular with the general consumer, and the brand's mid- and full-size models continue to this day to be some of the most popular on the road.

The '90s and the early 2000s saw the company raising the performance bar with its Corvette (notably the Z06 and, later, ZR1 variants) and reincarnated Impala SS. Chevrolet's Silverado pickup truck and Tahoe/Suburban SUVs continued to be hits as well. By 2010, the Camaro had returned to the lineup after a seven-year hiatus.

Modern times have seen Chevrolet make significant improvements in its small and midsize car models and introduce the Volt plug-in hybrid. The latter provides a nearly 40-mile range on electric power alone, and adds to the company's already well-rounded lineup of cars, trucks and SUVs. Though today's marketplace is very demanding, Chevrolet seems poised to remain a power player through its affordable and innovative vehicles.

User Reviews:

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  Great car, but surprised by rust - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By DavB - July 23 - 10:32 am

  What a great car. Have driving many rental HHRs, so buying one what a no brainer. Love the fuel mileage and the car is really comfortable. I was taking back by rust forming in 3 of the 5 doors. Both front doors and the hatch back door formed rust on the bottom inside edge. The car is only 8 months old and only has 11000 miles on it.

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  chevy tahoe - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By g lo - July 23 - 10:00 am

  i purchased my chevy tahoe in july 2001 . since then i have enjoyed this vehicle to the max.i have had only on minor problem,which was my rear ac divider(in head liner)which was covered under warrenty.i have took my vehicle through the mountains and city and have loved every minute of it .i recomend the tahoe with the third row(fun for kids)and is removable.

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  Much Satisfied - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Bryan Phillips - July 23 - 10:00 am

  Great Truck. Driven many others at I would take this one every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Plenty of Muscle as well. If you put about a grand into the 5.3 engine you will be smoking Ford Lightings in no time.

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  02 Silverado - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By fmj126 - July 22 - 6:53 pm

  This is a great truck. Lots of power, very dependable, and very good design. This is my first truck and I love it. I have dual exhaust on the 5.3 and it sounds great. If the gas pedal is pushed a little hard you wont get good gas mileage but I keep it under 2000 rpms and and get a little under 20 mpg.

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  Great Truck - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By eamonn fountain - July 22 - 9:10 am

  This is our first extended cab long bed truck and wow, drives like a Cadillac, so powerfull and smooth, we just love it. And the 8ft bed is so useful and the best MPG ive ever had in a V8 truck. 5.3 V8 has more than enough power (but im still gonna add some tuning goodies,lol) Interior is more like a luxury car leather, power heated seats, lumbar support, excellent driving postion. I ve been driving Chevys for years and this is the best ever. Get the LT its got every bell or whistle youll ever need and a few you dont, but its nice to have them anyway.

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  Yeah! - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By richard klein - July 20 - 3:13 pm

  My first corvette, everything I thought it would be!!!

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  great value - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By codger - July 18 - 8:47 am

  replaced 2000 Jaguar S Type 3.0. Needed more leg room and a larger trunk. Miss my memory seat & steering. The build quality is as good as any import I have owned ( Jaguar, Volvo, Infinity etc.)

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  Unlike other reviews! - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By The Passenger - July 17 - 8:39 pm

  Everyone talks about the driving but as a passenger Ill review other things. First of all the dash is well put together. Buttons and stuff is very easy to use. Then theres the ride and interior. Its comfortable and quiet, but the captains chairs can be uncomfortable some times. Then theres maintenance. The Traverse is easy to clean. Ours is Black with an Ebony leather interior so it shows the red dirt. But it comes off EXTREMELY easily. Also even though its big, cleaning the roof and windshield is easy too! So overall, a great car!

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  Cheap smiles - - 1994 Chevrolet Corvette
  By 94vette - July 17 - 9:37 am

  Ive had my 94 vette for 5 years and driven it around 12K miles. It currently has around 68k miles, and I havent had any major problems - the CD has died twice thats it. It was a $125 repair - if it goes again I will go aftermarket and get Ipod integration bluetooth etc which would be a nice updgrade in an older car. For the price I paid for this car you cant touch the performance, styling and fun factor of this car with anything else out there. Even moving up to a C5 costs a lot more. Makes a great summer toy. Do yourself a favor and find a clean one and you will be happy you took the time and spent a little more. Thats what I did and couldnt be happier (unless I had a new Z06)

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  VortecMax pkg Rocks!! - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Happy in MI - July 17 - 12:46 am

  I have the LT3 Crew Cab with the 6.0L V8. 345 hp and still get 15 mpg with everyday driving. This is my second Silverado. I had a 2001 LS Ext Cab short box w/5.3L V8 and had 0 problems in the 62,000 miles/3 yrs I had it. This one I have only had a month but I am very pleased with my purchase.